Detroit man sentenced to life in prison for killing 13-year-old Flint girl while fleeing police in vehicle

FLINT, MI -- A Flint judge exceeded state guidelines and sentenced a Detroit man to life in prison for a 2011 vehicle crash that killed 13-year-old Misty Kurmas.

Genesee Circuit Judge Archie Hayman handed down the sentence against 29-year-old Mark Blount Monday, Jan. 7, after he struck and killed Kurmas while fleeing from police.

Kurmas was killed as she crossed Tobias Street at the corner of Saginaw Street on the city's south side on her way to a nearby church in September 2011. Blount pleaded no contest Nov. 28 to
involuntary manslaughter and operating a motor vehicle without a
driver's license causing death.

Police said Blount -- who was wanted for an outstanding federal warrant
for distribution of heroin and a probation violation warrant -- was
being followed but not pursued by unmarked police vehicles when he
started driving at a high rate of speed at Atherton Road and South
Saginaw Street.

A fully marked state police car drove onto Saginaw Street from Oakley
Street with its lights and siren activated about 10 seconds before the
girl was hit by the van, authorities say.

Prosecutors said that Blount was driving 17-50 mph faster than the 35 mph speed limit during the brief chase. He was also driving on the wrong side of the road when he struck Kurmas.

"You have created a tragedy here that never should have occurred," Hayman told Blount before issuing the sentence.

Blount will also serve 10-15 years in prison for operating a motor vehicle without a drivers license causing death.

A photo of Misty Kurmas, 13, of Flint, who was hit by a van fleeing Michigan State Police as she crossed Saginaw Street from Tobias Street in Flint in September 2011.MLive file photo

State sentencing guidelines could have left Blount facing a maximum of 19 years in prison but his habitual offender fourth-conviction status allowed Hayman to exceed the guidelines and hand down the life sentence.

Hayman said that Blount's extensive criminal history and the circumstances of Kurmas' death justified the sentence.

State records show that Blount has previous convictions of receiving and
concealing $1,000-$20,000 of stolen property and disarming a firearm
from a peace officer in 2001 in Wayne County, first-degree retail fraud
in Wayne County in 2007 and a 2010 Genesee County conviction of
assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer.

Blount still faces federal charges of conspiracy to distribute heroin
and possession with intent to distribute heroin. He pleaded not guilty
to those charges.

Blount's attorney, James Piazza, said that his client will appeal Hayman's sentence.

Piazza said Blount was scared because he had five or six unknown
vehicles following him and that police should share some responsibility for Kurmas' death.

Hayman disagreed, saying police followed proper protocol in the pursuit.

Kurmas' mother, Martha Walker, stood crying as her daughter's aunt read letters from family members during the hearing.

Walker said she planned to visit her daughter's grave after Hayman handed down his sentence.

Blount also addressed Kurmas' family, apologizing for his actions that led to the girl's death.

"No sentence I get today will be as terrible as living with myself," an emotional Blount said prior to Hayman's sentence.